Wow, great thread (mainly).
Anyway, getting back to the original question. I say "Yes". I learned to windsurf on a Windsurfer OD when I was 10 years old over 30 tears ago which sparked a life long obsession with wind sports. I am now down/over here in Adelaide at the Nationals racing after about a 15 years break (from the Wally).
As someone who ride neatly every day, I hydrofoil on Windsurf, Kite, Surf, Wing and DW, plus wave sail, slalom. I am also a kiter who's won some titles and ride at an acceptable level, I sailed for years on MJ, Laser, J24, Adams 10 then 505's. I surf all craft from performance shortboards to 10' loggers. I have to say coming back to the Windsurfer this week has been amazing, just as I remembered it just faster, and more performance.
Windsurfer is possibly the hardest and easiest sport out there, which is totally mind blowing. I say easy because yes, anyone can jump onboard and with a little tuition be sailing (real sailing). But then there's the technical aspect of it in the more advanced side of it. All of the biggest fleets in the world are not necessarily the "highest performing" in some peoples eyes, but they are all classes that reward excellent sailing skills, wind knowledge and a tactical mind. These classes that draw hundreds instead of tens to their regatta's aren't bringing the numbers because of exotic materials and ultra light weights or yearly reviewed and advanced designs, but because they have a tried and proven design that can seperate the fleet through the only means that matters - The Individual.
Windsurfer teaches you to sail with precision as every mistake costs you big, but good sailing rewards you well. Yesterday was my 5th sail on the Windsurfer LT and I am very impressed with how well it performs. Yes the racing was postponed due to the conditions, it was solid out the back. I was getting wind reading in the 20-25kn mark on the beach, and it felt like there was another 10+kn outside the reef, so trying conditions for most sailors. Locals were blasting around on 4.2's. Yes there was some difficulty launching even the IRB yesterday to do the wind check. The chest high shore break (at times) and dead onshore wind proved be quite hazardous and basically making launch of the quarter cab tinnies near impossible. But it was awesome to watch much of the fleet get out there anyway and blast around in the epic conditions.
Being a bit rusty, my skills levels are probably not the best to decide off, but I am accustomed to riding in strong winds and not sheepish to try. My initial attempt to Sail at midday was near impossible to hold out the back with my guess of 35kn winds in the gusts. After returning to grab my foil and Wing-Surfer and a fun session raking for weed, I returned to the Wally for an epic afternoon session in probably somewhere between 15-30kn - Soo much fun. It has confirmed to me that I will be leaving a Windsurfer LT in my quiver moving forwards especially for the Downwinding aspect (which I was not expecting - crap loads of fun riding bumps DW).
Anyway, again a big "YES" to being the best thing that has happened to Windsurfing in a long time.
Here's a bit of my kook session yesterday in pretty gnarly conditions (doesn't look it from the GoPro).
Disclaimer - Yes I work for Windgenuity.
Ride safe,
JB
